The melt is back in the Okanagan this Family Day long weekend

This Family Day long weekend is bringing warmer temperatures back to the Okanagan Valley.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON /InfoTel Multimedia)

February 05, 2016 - 8:37 AM

OKANAGAN - Mother Nature is expected to grace the Okanagan with warm temperatures this weekend while Interior highway passes get hammered with more snow.

Environment Canada is calling for highs of 4 to 7 Celsius today, Feb. 5, through Family Day Monday, with overnight lows varying from 1 C to -3 C. Seasonal normal temperatures range from a high of 1 C to a low of -4 C at this time of year.

The warm temperatures will be accompanied by at least a chance of flurries or rain through the end of the day today as well as winds gusting as high as 50 kilometres per hour in the Vernon and Kelowna areas and 70 km/h in the Penticton region. A mix of sun and cloud is expected for the rest of the weekend.

If the ski hills are in your long weekend plans, expect highs ranging from -3 C at Big White on Saturday to 1 C on Monday. A chance of flurries and ‘breezy’ conditions are expected today, with flurries in the forecast overnight, and then a mix of sun and cloud is expected the rest of the weekend. At Silver Star highs are expected to range from -2 C to 1 C this weekend, with flurries today and a mix of sun and cloud the rest of the weekend.

High mountain passes on Highway 1 east of Revelstoke are also expected to experience up to 15 cm of snow today while the Pennask Summit on Highway 97C and Highway 3 near Allison Pass could have up to 10 cm fall. Compact snow, slushy sections and slippery sections are being reported most Interior highways.

Avalanche Canada is forecasting moderate to considerable avalanche conditions throughout the Interior ranges, with pockets of high risk in the forecast for ranges to the west of us.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

OPINION Editor, This is a busy time of year, but I find it’s also a time of reflection, particularly as January marks the end of my two-year term as Chair and my 10 years serving on the Board of Interior